Locomotive arrives in Goes

November 29 - Goud Transport has transported a Whitcomb diesel locomotive, originally built in 1944 for the US Army, from Antwerp to the Stoomtrein Goes-Borsele (SGB) museum, the Netherlands.

The historic locomotive arrived at the Port of Antwerp from Milwaukee, USA onboard Spliethoff's vessel Floragracht. Upon arrival in Antwerp, Euroports Belgium handled the offloading of the 65-ton (59-tonne) machine.

"It is not often that a train rides on a vessel", says Joost Dobbe vessel operator of Spliethoff. "The train was safely stowed in the hold of the Floragracht at Milwaukee for the long journey across the great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence Seaway, the Atlantic Ocean and finally the North Sea to Euroports Belgium."

From Antwerp, Goud Transport utilised a four-axle Scania P450 tractor and a four-axle Nooteboom Euro 86-14IFP with a one-axle Interdolly, to transport the locomotive to Goes.

According to Nooteboom, due to the integrated railway tracks in the floor and ramps of the low-loader there was no need for a heavy crane to unload the locomotive in Goes. This resulted in a significant reduction in the overall cost of the transport operation.

The locomotive will eventually be part of the SGB heritage railway, which operates between the city of Goes through Kwadendamme to the village of Hoedekenskerke, the Netherlands.